Force Calculator - F = ma Calculator
Calculate force from mass and acceleration, or solve for mass or acceleration given the other two variables.
Result
20.0000
F = m × a = 10 × 2 = 20.0000 N
How to Calculate Force (F = ma)
Newton's second law states that force equals mass times acceleration. This calculator solves for any one of the three variables — force, mass, or acceleration — given the other two, using standard SI units of kilograms, meters per second squared, and newtons.
Example
A 10 kg object accelerating at 2 m/s² requires a force of F = 10 × 2 = 20 newtons. If you instead knew the force (20 N) and the mass (10 kg), you could solve for acceleration: a = 20 / 10 = 2 m/s².
Common Use Cases
- Physics homework applying Newton's second law of motion.
- Estimating the force needed to accelerate an object of known mass.
- Engineering calculations involving force, mass, and acceleration relationships.
FAQs
What units does this calculator use?
Standard SI units: mass in kilograms (kg), acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s²), and force in newtons (N), where 1 newton is the force needed to accelerate 1 kg at 1 m/s².
Does this account for gravity or friction?
No — this calculates the net force from Newton's second law directly. To find weight (the force of gravity on an object), use mass × 9.8 m/s² as the acceleration. Friction or other opposing forces would need to be added or subtracted separately.
Can mass or acceleration be zero?
Mass being zero would make force zero regardless of acceleration, and solving for mass or acceleration requires dividing by the other value, so that value can't be zero in those cases.